The United Nations has raised concerns that the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict may contribute to dangerous environmental and health risks.

Raw sewage leaks have become a problem, and basic repairs are difficult to complete due to the Israeli blockage of the area.
The UN Environment Program will dispatch a team of experts to Gaza on May 11. The team will assess the current situation of the area over the course of ten days. The team will conduct inquiries into the environmental repercussions of Israel’s war against Hamas. The team has also worked in Sudan and the Balkans.
According to Achim Steiner, the head of the agency, the team plans to closely examine the destruction of water and sewage lines, disposal of hospital waste and possible asbestos contamination of the rubble of thousands of destroyed and damaged buildings. The asbestos could break down into pieces small enough to become airborne. Inhaled asbestos could lead to diseases such as pleural mesothelioma.
Once they have assessed the asbestos risk, along with the rest of the damage, the team will make recommendations for a plan of action.
International aid officials believe any repairs or asbestos clean-up will have to wait until the blockade around Gaza is removed.
Israel and Egypt have kept Gaza virtually sealed off since a violent takeover by Hamas two years ago. Israel launched a three-week offensive against Hamas in mid-January.
Israel has allowed food and humanitarian supplies to enter Gaza, but refuses to end the blockade until an Israeli soldier captured three years ago is returned.
However, the blockade is hindering repair efforts, as raw materials are prohibited from passing through the gate.
Humanitarian workers will have better luck with asbestos abatement and cleaning up raw sewage if the UN can put pressure on the Israelis to lift the blockade.
The issue of asbestos in Iraq is also a problem. U.S. soldiers stationed in Iraq may be exposed to asbestos while searching crumbling buildings or while repairing aging military vehicles, and the frequent winds make it all the more hazardous for U.S. military personnel in asbestos areas.
(Source: maacenter.org)